A large variety of hand held cleaning devices have been previously developed to scour and polish various objects and surfaces. Such devices have been marketed throughout the world and are well-known to the general public.
The vast majority of these scouring devices utilize elongate strands or ribbons which are compressed or spirally wound upon themselves and formed into a ball, pad or wafer which may be held in the users hand. Typically, these devices are composed of metallic material such as steel wool, stainless steel, or copper which provide a plurality of sharp edges to remove grease or dirt particles.
In recent years with the advent of synthetic materials, plastic, nylon and rayon fibers have been utilized in scouring pad applications. These synthetic materials may be easily produced into a fabric netting having a cell-like structure which provides a plurality of scouring edges. The netting may then be formed into a pad or ball and provide a suitable scouring device.
Although these prior art devices have proven useful in many scouring applications, there are inherent deficiencies associated with their use.
The metallic scouring pads typically scratch the surface of many objects being cleaned and often cause minor skin irritations to the user. Additionally, pads made from steel wool or copper ribbon, rapidly oxidize when exposed to water and frequently shred or deteriorate during use.
Alternatively, the synthetic material pads, although not subject to oxidation, are typically maintained in a definite shape by a mechanical fastener such as a staple or wire which often mark or scratches the surface being cleaned. Further, most of the prior art synthetic pads have been formed in a configuration which is awkward to hold.